My favorite discovery in the last 48 hours is the use of layers.

Previously, I spoke of thousands of clicks, shooting off into mesmerization. Layers would have robbed me of the insight, and I suppose now I will have to pursue some other automaton type task when I feel the need to hit the reset button of my mind (MIDI sequencing in step edit does fill in nicely). It boils down to this: I can build a framework of grid lines (depicted here in cyan) upon which to reference the drawing, and when I'm done: *poof*! Deleted. Instead of whittled away over hours.

This triangulated grid was deployed due to the fact that the part has no parallel straight lines. It's easiest to find center this way anyway.

Just the click of a button. Delightful!

CAD is the new video game

The last couple coffee fuelled morning ramp ups have been spent on sheer repetition in QCad.

How many thousands of clicks did it take to go from the above to below? Even Ruk doesn't know.

I find a satisfaction in doing a repetitive task like this, once the action becomes automatic the mind will drift along lateral channels. So, while I am pretty sure there is probably a far more efficient way to go about drafting the finished drawing I'm not entirely sure it would come without detriments. Of course, I say this without the burden of carpal tunnel..

The polylith, it's coming to get you! A side effect of said mental drift (benefit, if you will) is it makes me somewhat loopy; paving way to associating the above part detail with a grip of cycloptic granite monoliths looming on the horizon.

Of course, moving the drawing around produces Moire effects (simulated here through resizing the image in GIMP) which stacks a Mesmer layer on the entire process, further amplifying my feelings of being a happy worker.

Serious word of advice: when drafting in CAD, partially sacrificial lines (that is, lines from which you will be trimming an end) should be drawn to exact dimension whenever possible, because trimming something like 0.063379268 of an inch off of 200 lines is pushing the envelope on meditative satisfaction..